Equalizing device for music-rolls of piano-players.



A. YOUNG.

BQUALIZING DEVICE FOR MUSIC ROLLS 0F PIANO PLAYERS.

APPLICATION rum) 00117, 1913.

1,127,343; Patentexi Feb. 2, 1915.

AUGUST YOUNG, OF NEW YORK, N. Y

EQUALIZING DEVICE FOR MUSIC-ROLLS OF PIANO-PLAYERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 2, 191 5 Application filed October 17, 1913. Serial No.795,747.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AUGUST YOUNG, a citizen of the German Empire,residing in New York. in the borough of Manhattan, county and State ofNew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inEqualizing Devices for Music Rolls of Piano- Players, of which'thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to equalizers or neutralizcrs for music rollsused in piano players and the like, and has for its object to providemeans whereby the music roll is maintained in its normal and correctposition in an efficient manner. It is well known hat due to variationsof the temperature and umidity, as also due to variations in the ut ofpaper used for music rolls, such papers not being cut in all factoriesexactly the same width. that one music roll is not exactly like theother, and that on one day a music roll is not exactly like it was onanother day, due to the expansion or contraction or warping of thematerial, and the inequalities of the cut. So that, in the use of suchrolls, the spools on which the roll winds itself, and from which it isunwound, are not in absolute trueness, and cause, therefore,considerable annoyance in not winding, or unwinding with trueness.Several devices have been proposed hitherto to overcome the disadvairtage, but these have not proven satisfactory.

My invention has for its object to overcome the inherent disadvantages,and to pro vide means whereby the roll is accurately unwound and woundby permitting one spool to be shifted, depending upon the variations inthe trueness. This invention will be more fully described hereinafterand finally pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a front view of a music roll,supported on spools in a music roll casing, as is well known, Fig. 2 isa plan view of the music roll casing with my invention applied thereto,showing very clearly the single equalizing spring having ends connectingthe ends of the shafts of the music roll. Fig. 3 is a detail end viewshowing parts of my invention, and Fig. 4 is a section of the operatingbellows used to assist in the bringing about of the equalizing of themusic roll spool.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughoutthe several figures of the drawing.

Referring to the drawing, and more particularly to Fig. 1, the casinghas a top board 10 supported by side members 11 in turn supported by thebase board 12, and these side members support bearings 13, in whichshafts 14 of the lower spool 15 rest. Above the lower spool. 15, theupper roll 20 has its shafts 19 engage bearings 18 arranged in the sidemembers 11. Intermediate the lower spool 15 and the upper roll 20, atracker bar 23 is arranged, which is provided with ducts, and over thistracker bar 23 a music roll sheet 22 passes, which has the usualperforations. The parts thus shown are well known.

In order to maintain the roll 20 in alinement with the spool 15, theshaft 19 of the roll 20 is provided with extensions 21, which at theright hand of the structure. shown in Fig. 1, is provided with asuitable transmission device which is connected with gears as is wellknown, and not shown in the drawing, for the purpose of rotating theshaft 21. The ends of the shafts 21 or the extensions thereof, engage alever 32 supported by eyelets or other suitable bearings 31 secured-,to.

the bracket 30. This lever 32 has a flattened end 33 against which theshafts 21 abut. One end of the lever 32 is provided with an eyelet 34 towhich is secured a single spiral spring 35, which spiral spring extendsfrom one side of the music roll casing to the other side thereof, andthis spiral spring 35 connects the two like members 34, which abutagainst the ends of the shafts of the roll. By both of the shafts 21being thus embraced by the levers 32, and these levers being connectedby the transverse spring 35, whenever the roll 20 is movedlongitudinally, the spring 35 serves to bring the roll 20 to its normalor true position, so as to be in alinement with the lower spool, andalso to have the holes of the roll in proper position in respect to theholes of the tracker bar. Hence, this spring 35 acts as an equalizer orneutralizer to define the position of the upper roll 20 in respect tothe lower spool 15, and always seeks to maintain the upper roll 20 inalinement.

The single spring is of equal elasticity throughout its length andtherefore establishes a center at all times, this center being madecoincident with the center of the tracker bar. With a music roll ofnormal size, its center will be coincident with the center of the springand tracker bar. But

means are provided which consist of pneuinatics arranged on top of themusic roll casing, which pneumatics havea fixed part 4-4 secured to thetop-board 10 and movable parts 43 hinged thereto. These pneumatics areconnected to the suction chamber by means of the channel 50 and arealways under a tendency to collapse. The movable part 43 of 'thesepneumatics has at one end thereof, a projecting member 42' which issecured at 41 to a rod 40, which rod extends downwardly and abutsagainsttthe lever 32. The other end of the movable part 43 has anextension 45, which rests on an adjustable peg 47, movable in respect toa block '48. Beneath this plate 45, the movable portion 43 of thepneumatic is provided with a channel 49, whereby as soon as the plate 45is removed from the movable member 43, which is possible by reason ofthe inherent spring action with which the movable member 45 is provided,that the atmospheric air may pass through this channel 49 and canneutralize the vacuum produced within the pneumatic. As soon as this isdone, the pressure within the pneumatic will become changed, and onepneumatic will have a different pressure than the other, and inconsequence of this, the equilibrium existing between the two pneumaticswill be terminated.

Just as long as the pneumatics are under their normal stress, and theupper roll 20 is in alinement with the lower spool 15, the

parts all remain in their normal position.

But in the event that the upper roll 20 should be moved in eitherdirection more than a certain allowable amount, which can be readilytaken up by the compensating spring 35. then the lever 32 is caused tobe moved a distance away from the rod 40, and by reason thereof, the rodwill tend to follow the lever by virtue of the suction within thepneumatics. \Vhen this rod 40 thus follows the lever 42, partlythesuction, and partly the free movement of the rod 40, will cause themovable member 43 to become disengaged from the plate 45, and thus a rwill enter throughtbe channel 49 into the pneu- -matic. The otherpneumatic having normal pressure therein, will have a tendency to haveits rod 40 ,press' against the lever 32, and thereby cause the shaft/21.toreturn to its pos tion, no opposition being offered by the left handrod 40 until the lever 32 again comes in contact with this rod, thesingle spring being then in a position to exert its equalizing force. Bythis arrangement, as soon as the shaft of the upper roll 20 is moved toomuch in one or the other directlon, the pneumatics are set intooperation, and serve to return the shaft to. its normal position, thespring establishing the roll in the center of the tracker bar. Thesepneumatics are not used for shifting as hitherto proposed, but thespring is used to take care of this shifting. On the other hand,however, the pneumatics, as are shown in the drawings, and form partofthe inventlon, are used to take off the tension of the spring, and thespring does the shifting.

Sometimes where the operator uses too much force to pump out the air, itmay happen that the pneumatics collapse, and in order to prevent this, alimiting screw 60 is provided in the movable member 43, which acts on aplate 61. By changing the position of the screw 60 in respect to theplate 61, the movable member may have its movement defined in respect tothe fixed member 44;

I have shown an embodiment of my invention, but changes may be madetherein without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined inthe appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent:

1. A music roll compensating device, comprising a lever contacting witheither end of the shaft of the music roll, and a single spring havingboth of its ends connected with the lever at each end of said shaft, forreturning the levers and the shaft to normal position.

2. A compensating device for music rolls,

comprising a casing, a spool supported therein, a shaft on said spool, alever contacting with each endof the shaft, and a single springconnecting the levers for establishing a center of said spring arrangedat each end of said shaft.

3. In a compensating device for music rolls, comprising a casing, aspool having a shaft supported by said casing, a lever contacting witheach end of the shaft, a single spring connecting the said levers,pneumatics at either end of the shaft, a rod for each pneumatic,following the movement of the levers, and a pneumatic neutralizingdevice brought into action by the movement of the rods, said rods takingoff the tension of the spring for enabling the spring to shift thespool.

4. A compensating device for music rolls, comprising a casing, a trackerbar therein, a spool below the tracker bar, a spool above the trackerbar, a shaft for the upper spool, means for rotating the shaft. bracketsat either side of the casing and pioximity te the upper spam Edam} e U-Slia ped ei'er having one end tl'ieieef ahntting- 21; the upper ends cfthe shafts 5 of the upper spool, a spring connec ing the free ends ofsaid levers, pneun'i'iitics arranged at either end of the shaft of theupper roll, rods secured to the movable part of the pnein'natic,following the movement of the levers, a plate on the movable members ofthe neumatics, a valve plzite, said. valve plate epenin or closing thechannel in the pnenn connecting the interier the pneinnetic withatmospheric air,

and means fer limiting the increment of the neumatics.

5. In a music roll device, s tracker bar and ducts, a music roll andshafts therefnr, levers contacting with the ends of the shafts andextending beyond the music roll and sheitgend a singie of he ends e1 thei em for maintaining the roll in the center 0 the tracker bar and ducts,for establishing a center for said roll and shafts.

6. In a music roll device, a vtracker bar end ducts, a music roll andshafts therefor, and a single spring connecting both the ends of theshafts for maintaining the roll in the center of the tracker bar andducts, the said spring, music roll and tracker her being arranged sothat the spring places the roll in correct position. and maintains itthere.

ln testimony that I claim the foregoing 5 connecting both as myinvention, 1: have signed my name in presence of two subscribingwitnesses.

AUGUST YOUNG. Vwitnesses F; Hose, G. Lowe.

